Federal agencies ordered to remove DeepSeek technology

US federal civilian agencies have been ordered to remove DeepSeek products from their systems, following a directive from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). The order requires agencies to identify and eliminate DeepSeek applications and services used on government devices and networks.

The instruction applies across federal civilian agencies and gives them a short deadline to comply. Agencies must ensure that DeepSeek products are no longer available through their systems, including on government-issued devices. The directive is part of a broader effort to limit the technology’s use in federal operations.

The order does not apply only to software installed directly by agency staff. It also addresses DeepSeek access through third-party services, which may require agencies to review how their systems and contractors provide access to the technology. Agencies are responsible for taking steps to ensure that covered products are removed or blocked.

The directive follows concerns raised by officials about the risks associated with DeepSeek. It sets out a federal requirement for agencies to act, rather than leaving each agency to decide independently whether to continue using the products.

Order also covers third-party services

The removal order reaches beyond DeepSeek’s own products. It also applies to third-party services built using DeepSeek technology, requiring federal agencies to remove those services from government systems. This means the directive is not limited to applications or tools developed and operated directly by DeepSeek.

That broader coverage reflects how technology can be incorporated into services offered by other providers. A service may be delivered by a third party while still relying on DeepSeek technology, and the order addresses that use as well. Agencies therefore need to consider whether services in use depend on DeepSeek, rather than looking only for products carrying the company’s name.

The requirement forms part of the wider instruction for federal agencies to remove DeepSeek technology. By including third-party services built with it, the order covers technology embedded in offerings from outside providers, too. The source does not specify particular third-party services or describe how agencies must identify them, but it makes clear that the removal directive extends to services built using DeepSeek technology.

National security concerns cited

The US government cited national security concerns as the reason for ordering federal agencies to remove DeepSeek technology from their systems. The order reflects concern about the security risks associated with the Chinese artificial intelligence company and its tools.

Officials said the directive was intended to address risks posed by DeepSeek. The action applies to federal agencies and includes third-party services that may use the technology, broadening the government’s response beyond software installed directly by agencies.

The order does not, by itself, establish that DeepSeek has caused a security breach or that every use of its technology presents the same risk. Rather, national security concerns were cited as the basis for the government’s decision to require removal. The directive places responsibility on agencies to comply with the order and reflects the administration’s approach to limiting the technology’s presence in federal systems.

Scope of the order

The order applies to federal civilian agencies, requiring them to remove DeepSeek technology from government systems. Its reach is not limited to products made and sold directly by DeepSeek. It also covers services developed by third parties when those services use DeepSeek’s technology.

That distinction matters because an agency could encounter DeepSeek technology through a third-party service rather than through a standalone DeepSeek product. Under the order, the use of the underlying technology brings those services within scope, even when another company provides them. Federal civilian agencies must therefore consider both DeepSeek’s own products and third-party offerings built using its technology as they address the directive.